


Spinning free

by Builder



Series: Spiderverse [26]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, New science bros, Peter is awkward, Sickfic, Vomiting, young avengers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 16:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15295359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Builder/pseuds/Builder
Summary: Working on a project with Shuri is nerve-wracking enough.  It doesn't help that Peter's sick to his stomach too.





	Spinning free

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @builder051

“Are you gonna ask her to go to the dance with you?” Ned asks as he zips up his backpack.

“What?  No!” Peter replies too quickly.  “I can’t.  She doesn’t go to school here.”

“Oh, right.”  Ned appears to consider it.  “But if you could, would you ask her to go to the dance?”

“Dude.”  Peter shakes his head.  “I’m not even thinking about school dances.  Shuri’s here to work in the lab with Mr. Stark.  She doesn’t have time for stupid kid stuff.”

“Isn’t that like your Stark internship?”  Ned raises his eyebrows.  He blocks the door to the classroom as he waits for Peter to respond.

Peter shrugs.  “Yeah, I guess.”  He doesn’t feel the need to point out Shuri’s probably a dozen grades ahead of him in terms of STEM knowledge.  He reaches around Ned and opens the door.

“So going to the facility and sitting in the lab, it’s something you’ve done a million times already,” Ned says.

“Well, yeah.”

Ned pokes Peter hard in the shoulder.  “So why are you so uptight?  Unless you’re thinking about  _something else_.”

“Hey, stop it, man.”  Peter gives him a weak shove.  “Leave it alone.  I kinda don’t feel good.”

“Aw, really?”

Peter doesn’t answer.  He crosses the hall to his locker and piles his books inside, uncomfortably aware of the way Ned is squinting at him.

“You are kinda pale,” Ned decides.  “You should probably cancel.”

“I’m fine.”  Peter slams his locker shut.  “I gotta meet Happy out front.”

“Are you gonna puke?  Is it that kind of sick?”  Ned jogs to keep up as Peter heads for the front door.

“Shut up, dude.  I said I’m fine.”  Peter says the words with as much confidence as he can muster, hoping to override the flipping of his stomach.  “It’s just an afternoon in the lab.  No big deal.”

***

A few hours later, Peter regrets his words.  He’d barely survived the drive upstate, swallowing bitter saliva in the backseat.  He feels sweat breaking out across his upper lip as he watches Shuri write a program.

“My brother’s suit absorbs energy from the hits he takes in combat,” she explains.  “You’d probably benefit from the same features, but your suit’s wiring isn’t vibranium…”

“Does it really matter what the wiring’s made of?” Peter asks.  He knows she’s not making a dig at his tech, but he’s feeling defensive.  Not to mention nauseated.

“Have your capabilities ever flickered after you take a hit?  Like bad reception, or something?”

“Um.  Yeah,” Peter says.  He bounces his knees under the table.

“Vibranium wires are more resilient,” Shuri says matter-of-factly.  “Unfortunately, that would require completely remaking your suit…”  She trails off as she taps out another line of code.  “Are you alright?”

“Hm.  Yeah.”  Peter swallows thickly and tries to keep his mind on the current conversation.  It’s a challenge, though, with waves of hot sickness lapping up in his chest.  He grits his teeth and forces out a slow breath through his nose.

“Yes, see, there’s no system where I can attach this protocol,” Shuri says, already focused back on the task at hand.  She closes the window on an error message.  “We’ll have to upgrade the hardware.”  Shuri pushes her chair back from the desk and starts rummaging in a toolbox.

Peter’s heart thuds against his ribcage.  He usually loves peeling apart the layers of fabric to toy with the inner workings of his suit.  Today, though, he feels like he’ll be lucky to avoid vomiting all over the table.

“Hey,” Peter says, struck with an idea.  “Do you want a soda before we start on that?”  He knows there’s ginger ale in the mini bar, and at this point Peter’s willing to try anything to settle his stomach.

“I don’t think it’s wise to have drinks in the lab,” Shuri says as she chooses a pair of pliers.

“Oh.”  Peter flops back into his chair.  “Yeah.  Of course.”

“It only took me one coke spilled over my keyboard to learn my lesson,” Shuri chuckles.

Peter laughs too, but the motion stirs up stomach acid again, and he holds his fist in front of his mouth as he waits for the sick feeling to pass.

“So, I think the best plan would be to add a vibranium-infused fabric to the areas of your suit where you take the most hits,” Shuri suggests. She spreads the Spider-Man suit across the lab bench.  “T’Challa’s data shows he’s mostly attacked around the torso.  His chest and stomach.”  Shuri looks up at Peter.  “Is that the same for you?”

“Um,” Peter starts, but a cramp suddenly rises from his gut.  Fluid explodes into his throat, and it’s all he can do to jump to his feet and sprint for the bathroom before he thoroughly embarrasses himself.

“Peter?”  Shuri’s confused voice sounds behind him.

Peter can’t answer.  He drops to his knees in front of the toilet and cringes as he heaves hard, his shoulders wracking forward.

“You’re not alright, are you?”

Peter wipes at his streaming eyes and nose with the back of his hand.  Shuri leans against the door frame.  “Should I get someone?”

Peter spits to clear his mouth and shakes his head.  “Nah.  I’m ok.”

“I know you’re not.  And you’re not listening to me.”  Shuri pulls the hand towel off the bar and offers it to Peter.

“Ok,” Peter sighs.  “I really don’t feel good.”  He breathres through a spike of nausea, then buries his face in the towel.

“No wonder you’ve barely been paying attention all afternoon.”  Shuri gives him a pitying smile.

“Sorry.”  Peter reaches up to flush the toilet, then shifts to rest his head against the wall.  “I probably should’ve cancelled…”

Shuri shakes her head.  “We can finish later.  At least we got the coding part done.”

“You mean  _you_  got the coding part done,” Peter mumbles.

“Hey.”  Shuri gives him a hard look.  “ _We’re_  going to finish it.  Just as soon as you’re not throwing up everywhere.”

“It wasn’t everywhere.”

“It wasn’t,” Shuri concedes.  She grins.  “Just keep it that way, ok?”


End file.
